Gyroscope



UNITED sTATEs PATENT orrics.

ELMER A. SPERRY, or BROOKLYN, NEW

YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPEBRY GYRIO- SCOPE COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEWYORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW IDRK.

ernoscorn.

Original application filed January 25, 1916, serial No. 74,075. Dividedand -t0l322' 11, 1917. Serial No. 195,901.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Emma A. Srnnnr, a citizenof the United States of America, residing at 1505 Albermarle road,Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Gyroscopes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to means for rotatably supporting elements ofcomparatively great Weight being especially. applicable to heavymachinery rotating on a substantially vertical axis, such as verticalgyromachinery.

\Vhile my invention is capable of broad application, I will, for thesake of simplicit confine the present disclosure to the app ication ofthe system to a gyroscope.

Owing to the comparatively large mass and operating-speed of gy-roscopicrotors the problem of suitably journaling them be comes extremelydifficult. Thus if ordinary thrust bearings are employed the latter donot respond quickly enough to lateral defiection of the rotor shaftsothat chattering results. One of the principal objects of the presentinvention is to provide an arrangement of hearings to avoid thisaction.-

Another object is to provide a system of bearings which will operatewithout throwing undue strains on the parts when the l'iearings are outof alinement.

Other objects and advantages willappear as the invention is hereinafterdeveloped.

Referring trate what I now consider the preferred form of my invention.

An enlarged vertical section of a gyroscope with my invention appliedthereto is shown.

The gyroscope, as shown, comprises a rotor bearing frame 1, adapted tobe supported for procession in any suitable manner. The rotor 4 isjournalcd in radial bearings 5 and 6 and may be driven by any suitablemeans such as the armature 7 of an electric motor which may be builtdirectly on the shaft of the rotor as indicated in the figure.

The radial bearings 5 and 6 are each preterably mounted for universalmovement about their centers X and Y as shown and are each preferably soconstructed as to support no part of the weight of the rotor 4.

to the drawings which illus-.

,mentioned are chiefly naintainxng true Patented Oct-18, real.

this application filed Be- A very satisfactory type of radial bearing isshown in the figure. Rollers 13 are supported in a cage or retainer 14which comprisesa plurality of sections 15 and l6riv eted or otherwisesecured together between the rollers as indicated at 1T. 18 areinterposed between the ends of the rollers and the cage to reducefriction at these points. The ends 101 of the rollers are preferablybeveled and one of the races 103, preferably the inner is provided withan annular depression 102 in which the rollers rest.

I j The outer race 104, however, has no depressed scopes,turbo-generators and hydro electric portion so that the rollers are freelongitudinally. .It will be seen from the construction above describedthat the end walls of depression l02-will prevent any thrust which maybe imparted to rollers 13 from being transmitted to balls 18.

' Among other advantages, it will be readily I appreciated that theabove described bearing construction possesses the following.

'Assembly of parts is facilitated, expansion and contraction of therotor shaft is practically unimpeded, the bearings support none of theweight of the rotor and the shaft of the rotor is free to .bend aboutpoints X and. Y, the bearings 5 and 6 alining themselves accordingly.

For supporting the weight of the rotor a thrust bearing is provided.While this hearing might be mounted at the lower end of the rotor shaft8 l have found such an arrangement to possess certain objections and Ihave therefore not illustrated it but have illustrated a preferred formof means for supporting the rotor. The objections above due to theditliculty in alincmcnt and may be best understood by considering whatwould happen if a thrust bearing were placed at the lower end of shaft 8and the latter tended to turn about point Y in a vertical plane. Thebearings 5 and 6, being selfalining, would permit movement of the shaftbut the thrust hearing would greatly impede, if not prevent, movement ofthe lower end of shaft 8 thus causing the latter to bend, giving rise tochattering, excessive strains on the parts, etc.

I overcome the above objections by pro viding a flexible supportingmember between the rotor-and its bearing frame 1. While this flexiblemember might be so designed as Small balls justably to support the rotoras a compression memher I prefer to use the arrangement shown in whichthe flexible member 10 pendulously supports the rotor and instead ofproviding the thrust hearing at thebottom, as is usually the practice, Iprefer to locate it at the upper end of the gyroscope thus-not onlyrendering iteasily accessible, but permitting the use of a long flexibletension member.

The thrust bearing 9, preferably of; the anti-friction type andpreferably universally supported atthe top of casing 1 15 adconnccted tothe flexible member 10 adjacent the upper end of the latter as by meansof a nut 2. The member 10 is shown as passing through the shaft 8, whichis made hollow for that purpose, sulflcient clearance being provided toallow the sai member to bend. T-The' point of connection between thelower end of the last mentioned member'andthe'shaft 8 ma be placed atvarious positions butis pre erably located at the bottom of said shaftin order to e.m

' lower end of the flexible rod 10 ploy the greatest possible length ofrod and thus obtain maximum flexibility. The entire weight of the rotoris supported by the flared at 11 for thatpurpose, the enlarged veryflexible and obviates not 'jections previously referred to, but also theportion 10 being provided merely for-the purpose of centering the rod.

The system of bearings above described. is

only the obnecessity of extremely accurate alinement of the bearings.

It will be seen thatthe flexible .rod 10 supports substantially thewhole weight of said rotor while the radial bearings 5 and 6 receivepractically all of the rotational forces and practically none of theweight of the rotor.

The'system of lubrication and cooling of the bearings is not describedas it forms no part of t e present invention, being described andclaimed in my com cation, Serial Number 74075 led January 25th, 1916 andof which this application is a division.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat out is:

1. In combination, a rotor, a flexible mem her for normally supportingthe major portion of the weight of said rotor and a plu rality of radialbearings for transmitting the rotational forces of said rotor.

52. In combination, a rotor, a radial hearing therefor, the shaft ofsaid rotor being longitudinally slidably mounted in said radial bearingand means comprising a flexible rod for preventing sliding movement ofsaid shaft through said bearing in at least one direction parallel tothe axis of the rotor.

23. In combination, a rotor element, a supporting element, a thrustbearing compriswhich is anion appliing a art supported by one of saidelements a flexi is member connected to the other 0 said elements, aconnection between another part of said thrust bearing, and said,

flexible member and a plurality of radial bearings for the shaft of aidrotor.

4. In combination, a rotor, a shaft for said I rotor having a centralrecess and a flexible rod at least a portion of which extends into saidrec'em, for normally supporting substantially all of the weiorht of saidrotor.

5. In'combination, a rotor, a shaft for said said rotor and a s for 're-6. In combination, a rotor having a shaft,

a plurality of self alining radial bearings for said rotor shaft andmeans comprising a thrust bearing and a flexible member or preventingend movement of said shaft in at least one direction.

V 7. In a vertical gyroscope, a bearing frame, a rotor, a hollowshaftfor said rotor,

radial bearings for said shaft, a member ex Ktending through said shaftand 'supportin adjacent its lower end said rotor shaft, an

a thrust bearing for suspending said member from adjacent-the top ofsaid frame.

8. In a vertical gyroscope, a bearing frame, a rotor, 'a hollow shaftfor said rotor, radial bearings for said shaft, a resilient memberextending through said shaft and *supportin adjacent its lower end saidrotor 9. In combination, a rotor, a for normally supporting the majorportion of the weight of said rotor and a plurality of radial bearingsfor receiving the major portion of the rotational forces of said rotor.10. In combination, a rotor having a shaft, I and flexible meansconnected to the lower shaft, and a thrust bearing for suspending saidmember fromadjaoent the top of said flexible rod l05 end of said shaftfor supporting said rotor.

11. In combination, a rotor, a flexible member for normally supportingthe ma'or portion of the weight of said rotor, an a plurality of radialbearings positioned respectively on opposite sides of the rotor forreceiving the major portion of the rota-. tional forces thereof. i

'12. In combination, a bearing frame, a rotor, a hollow shaft for saidrotor,- selfalining radial bearings for said shaft, said. bearings beingpositioned respectively on opposite sides of said rotor, a flexible rodex-- tending'into said shaft and supporting the latter, and a thrustbearing for suspending said member from adjacent the top of said frame.

13. In combination, a rotor having a holshaft, a plurality ofself-alining radial hearings for said shaft on oppositev sides of therotor, each of said hearings comprising inne and outer races, rollers, aretainer for said rollers, one of said races having an annular(lepression forming a seat for the rollers while the corresponding faceof the other race is straight, and a thrust bearing for supportingsaidfiexible rod.

14-. In combination, a rotor, a shaft there- 10 for, .a pluralityofself-alining radial hearings for said shaft, a thrust bearing, and aflexible tension member suspended from said thrust bearing said rotor.

In t-estimon signature.

ELMER A. SPERRY.

